P-12

Prekindergarten through Grade 12 Education


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RFP# GC17-019: Questions and Answers


My Brother’s Keeper Exemplary School Models and Practices (ESMP) Grant

A New York State My Brother’s Keeper Initiative
2018-2020

 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
(Posted 1/30/18)
  1. We are trying to apply for the MBK Grant and are looking for the Attachments that were referenced in the power point presentation. 
  1. I've done some research but have only found applications for the 2016/2017 school year.  We would like more information is possible.  We are a multi-race school with a population of about 800 students of which 70% are minorities. 
  1. Can you please clarify that if we are interested in submitting a proposal, we need to partner with a school with similar demographics in NYS that previously received MBK funding and we need to replicate that program. Can you please send me a link to the schools/programs that received funding?
    • Applicants for this funding should have an exemplary school and be willing to help a school in another district replicate the model used. It is not required that the applicant or the replication partner school have previously received MBK funding. Applicants from New York City and rest of state must partner with a demographically similar struggling or persistently struggling school in another district within their region. Applicants who are districts contracting to provide American Indian Educational Services must partner with a demographically similar school district contracting to provide American Indian Educational Services that is a focus or priority school OR a school in which <50% of American Indian students have valid NYS test scores.
  1. My question is regarding the 15% matching fund. If the grant is awarded 30% model district / 70% struggling district, does the 15% matching requirement get split the same way? Or does the model district have the full responsibility for matching the grant?
    • The applicant district bears the full responsibility for the 15% matching fund.
  1. I am trying to get a hold of the pre-bid conference lists so I can send my information to each potential bidder in the hopes of inclusion on their diversity plan.  If there wasn’t a pre-bid conference for the RFP in question, can you point me to the primes that you believe have potential to bid?
    • There is no pre-bid conference list for this grant. Potential applicants include any New York State public school districts. It is not possible to generate a list of which districts will choose to apply.
Additional Questions and Answers
The questions and answers below were originally posted on 11/30/2017
  1. Does the MBK initiative require an external evaluator as part of the grant?
    • The MBK ESMP Initiative requires evaluation, but does not require an external evaluator as part of the grant; that is the prerogative of the applicant.

  2. Is it possible to apply to replicate an early preparation program for children ages birth - 3? This would be in alignment with the MBK pillar "Enter School Ready to Learn."  If so, could we use data from a locally developed assessment to gauge growth over two years for this population? 
    • Data for this grant is collected for state assessments, graduation rate, and achievement gap. If you chose to apply for an early preparation program, data in support of the program’s effectiveness would have to be evidenced by performance on NYS assessments. If the program is successful, improved performance should be discernable on the Grade 3 ELA and Math assessments and beyond. Data from locally developed assessments is not considered.

  3. As a Long Island school, are able to partner with a NYC school?
    • The RFP (pg. 1) requires that applicant districts partner as follows: “The eligible applicant must partner with a demographically similar struggling or persistently struggling school in another district within their region to replicate these practices.” There are three regions for this RFP: districts contracting to provident American Indian Educational Services, NYC, and the rest of state. Therefore, only a NYC applicant can partner with a NYC school. Eligible partners for Long Island schools would be from the rest of state.
  1. The FOA/RFP reads: “Applicants must partner with a demographically similar struggling or persistently struggling school in another district within their region.” Does this mean that the struggling or persistently struggling school in another district must currently be identified as a struggling or persistently struggling school because the link in the FOA identifies schools that are no longer on the 2016-2017 struggling or persistently struggling school list?
  2. Please provide the schools that are consider for purposes of this funding to be struggling or persistently struggling schools?
  3. What percentage of the budget can we designate for new programs?
    • The percentage of the budget that can be designated for new programs in the applicant district is < 30% (<$75,000.)
  1. How is the MWBE 30% Requirement Calculated? Is it 30% of Other Than Personnel Services (OTPS)? Will our grant submission be penalized if we do not meet the MWBE criteria stated?
    • The M/WBE participation goal for this grant is 30% of each applicant’s total discretionary non-personal service budget over the entire term of the grant.   Discretionary non-personal service budget is defined as total budget, excluding the sum of funds budgeted for:
      1. direct personal services (i.e., professional and support staff salaries) and fringe benefits; and
      2. rent, lease, utilities and indirect costs, if these items are allowable expenditures.
    • All applicants are required to comply with NYSED’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) policy by identifying areas in their budget where an M/WBE can be utilized.  M/WBE participation includes services, materials, or supplies purchased from minority and women-owned firms certified with the NYS Division of Minority and Women Business Development. NYSED’s M/WBE Coordinator is available to assist applicants in meeting the M/WBE goals.  The Coordinator can be reached at MWBE@mail.nysed.gov.

  2. How is the 15% Matching Requirement Calculated? Is it 15% of Other Than Personnel Services (OTPS)? Will our grant submission be penalized if we do not meet the 15% Matching Requirement?
    • A minimum 15 percent (15%) match of the total approved grant award is required. All applications are required to include a 15% match. The 15% may come from personnel services.
  1. Can we hire and compensate an Evaluator to collect data and provide evaluative services for our program to ensure we continue to provide high quality services?
    • Yes, you may hire and compensate an Evaluator to collect data and provide evaluative services as the MBK ESMP Initiative requires evaluation.

  2. Please explain the difference between a Demonstration site and a partner school?
    • The Demonstration Site is the Exemplary School within the applicant district that was identified in the application.
    • The partner school is a demographically similar (struggling or persistently struggling) school in another district within their region in which the exemplary practices of the Demonstration Site will be replicated.
  1. Please explain the difference between Demonstration Site and Replication or Expansion Sites.
    • The Demonstration Site is the Exemplary School within the applicant district that was identified in the application.
    • The Replication Site is the partner school that is a demographically similar (struggling or persistently struggling) school in another district within their region, on which >70% of the grant money will be spent replicating the exemplary practices of the grant-winning Demonstration Site.
    • An Expansion Site is a school within the same district as the Demonstration Site, on which 30% of the grant may be spent replicating the exemplary practices of the Demonstration Site.

  2. Can we designate school(s) in our district to serve as a Demonstration Site (that is not a struggling or persistently struggling or priority school) and designate school(s) in our district as Replication or Expansion Site (that is a struggling or persistently struggling or priority school)?
    • Both the Demonstration Site (exemplary school within the applicant district) and the Replication Site (struggling school in another district) must be identified in the application.
    • The Replication Site may not be within the applicant district.
    • If the district proposes to spend grant funds on an Expansion Site (struggling school within the applicant district), the specific school may be identified in the application or when an applicant is awarded a grant.
  1. Please explain what data metrics will be used to determine whether a reduction in the academic achievement gap for boys and young men of color has been achieved?
    • For the initial grant application, Attachment X-a or X-b will be used and the data will be scored per either Attachment IX-a or IX-b, the evaluation rubrics. During the course of the grant, data will continue to be collected and evaluated in the same fashion.

  2. Pursuant to the monitoring and evaluation section of the FOA is there a preferred or recommended evaluation, study and/or research plan?
    • No particular evaluation, study or research plan is endorsed. That selection is up to the applicant based on their own research and analysis of options.
  1. My question is regarding the 15% matching fund. If the grant is awarded 30% model district / 70% struggling district, does the 15% matching requirement get split the same way? Or does the model district have the full responsibility for matching the grant?
    • The applicant district bears the full responsibility for the 15% matching fund.

 

Last Updated: January 30, 2018 5:56 PM